Period of coups 'completely over' in Turkey: Parliament speaker

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - The period of coups is finished in Turkey, Turkish parliament speaker said Friday.

"The reality that those who rely on coups in plans for our country must accept the high level of our democratic maturity and democracy as soon as possible and that the period of coups is now completely over for our country," Mustafa Sentop said at the opening of the new legislative session of parliament.

The comments were an apparent reference to FETO and its US-based leader that orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Turkey in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 wounded.

Sentop noted that Turkey's power did not only come from its economic and military capabilities.

"More than 170 years of elections' history, 144 years of parliamentary history and 75 years of multi-party political life make Turkey different and pioneering in terms of tradition," he said.

"For this reason, we have to know the value of our democracy and evaluate what our democracy has properly contributed to us," he added.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.